The Gophers led 38-33 at halftime, and Minnesota opened the second half on a 12-4 run.

Blake Hoffarber came off the bench to hit back-to-back 3-pointers as Minnesota opened a 56-44 lead with 8 minutes to play. Hoffarber added three free throws a minute later to score nine straight points, and he finished with 15.

The Cardinals pulled to within 61-57 with 3:54 to go, but came no closer. Louisville scored only one basket in the final 3:54, and Minnesota held off the Cardinals by making its final seven shots from the line.

"We knew they were going to go on a run," Nolen said. "It was just a matter of how we responded to it."

The game was the first half of the Stadium Shootout doubleheader, with Arizona State (No. 17 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) and Brigham Young in the second game. It was the first basketball game in domed University of Phoenix Stadium and a dry run for organizers of the NCAA West Regional in March.

The stadium is the home of the Cardinals -- the Arizona Cardinals. But with acres of empty seats, it had an antiseptic feel. Among the handful of fans at courtside was Louisville native Muhammad Ali, who has a home in the Phoenix area and regularly attends local sports events.

The Cardinals planned to spend another day in the Phoenix area before returning to Louisville. The Cardinals have three more nonconference games -- including a Jan. 4 meeting with rival Kentucky -- before opening Big East play.

"I don't know where we're going to be at the end of the year," Pitino said. "I've known from Day 1 that we have talent, we have potential, but we're not executing."